Assignment on The Contribution of Women in National Movement of Bangladesh Course Title: Gender and Development Course Code:505 Course

Teacher: Maheen Sultan &Helal Hossain

Submitted by

Alamgir Kabir Mahmuda Akhter Taj Islam

Whenever some tragedies or injustices against women happens, some protest mission takes place. The media starts doing a long story and some of us start to think that there are some women organization whose job is to protest only. But the scenario does not reflect the trivia matters like struggling for rights. If we look back then the fighting spirit of women against all odds is mere than a history. Women have been united, fought and gave life for the dignity of self reliance, national crisis, independence movement and above all for -Liberation War in 1971. Bangladesh has a long history of women's mobilization which can be traced back to the anti-colonial nationalist movement: against the British and the Pakistanis, mobilized in the anti-colonial struggles. Various national level women's organizations and small charities which were mainly composed of elite and middle class women for womens education and legal reforms. Though every women involved in the fight for the right to speak, right to think, right to contribute in any movement, and those who were involved directly in the movements which gave nation a new direction has enormous contribution. But for the sake of our term paper, we will talk about only six personalities who contributed from different angles, in different situations and definitely in different era. When the women of our country will be awakening? When will the women also work with rebellious mind for their own people, for their own country ? (Begum Rokeya Sakhawat, Sultanas Dream) Begum Rokeyas dream had been reflected in Pritilata Wadder, born in 1911 at Dhalghat, Chittagong. Being a daughter of a head clerk in Chittagong Municipal Corporation, she always managed to get her tuition scholarship through brilliant academic result. Before sitting for Honors exam in Philosophy Prilata changed her decision. She wanted to get involved with swadesi movement as soon as possible. After passing B.A with distinction marks Pritilata came back from Calcutta and establish a circle with some other revolutionary girls. She and other members of the circle used to collect money to supply the swadesi movement members. She used to carry and pass the grenades to the revolutionaries. Her passing grenades had been used to take over the armoury at Chittagong. Pritilata got the chance to meet the revolutionary leader Masterda Surjo Sen in 1930. The mission to attack Pahartali European Club (where the dogs and Indians were not allowed) in 1930, 18 th April had been failed for some reason. Masterda made a new plan to attack and this time with the leadership of a women. In this purpose Prilata prepared herself perfectly with her another six team members for the mission. The 21 year old Prilata Wadder attacked the club in 1932, 23rd September and the mission was accomplished. But unfortunately while coming back the team faced the British soldiers. Before getting caught by the enemy this fiery girl committed suicide with potassium cyanide .The British rulers were astonished to know that the armed revolutionist was not a man but a women. Queen of Nachol Ela Mitras journey started in a different way.The first phase of Tevaga Andolan ( one -third corps should be farmers ) started in 1945 at whole undivided Bangla(Bangladesh and India).The peasants started fighting for their own survival, for their own deserved corps. In spite of the torture of the British police, the peasant women gave the leadership in this fight. They sacrificed their lives while protecting the male and protesting against the police. The second phase has involved the Bangladeshi female peasants directly. The Farmers Revolution leaded by Ramen Mitra and Ela Mitra in 1948 and 1949 at Chapainawabganj, Nachol is the glorious history of fighting spirit of Sawtal women.

Though before getting married to Ramen Mitra , Ela Mitra was a member of Attarakha Samitiwhich worked for the Hindu Code Bill but after marriage she started teaching the illiterate female peasants at husbands owned territory . Along with raising awareness she started to organize the deprived farmers to fight for their own rights. Earlier the peasants had to give all the corps to landlords from which they got a little bit for their own survival. But the movement was about the rightfulness of farmers on 1/3 rd produced crops. The police increased their torturing parameter day by day. Ela Mitra was prisoned in 1950, 7th January. After applying several days of barbarian torture, she was sent to Chapainawabganj thana. Being seriously ill she was prisoned in Rajshahi Central Jail and Dhaka Medical College Hospital till 1954.Ela Mitra went to Calcutta for treatment and stayed over there after getting bail in parole.